I’m also pretty sure it’s a no.
The rules say you can plan to win a sea battle (no matter what the odds are), but there’s nothing about planning to lose a battle or retreat from a battle.
I have, in general, purchased a naval base for Japan anyway, since it allows for a quick dash to India or down to Australia from that sea zone. Yes, you can get to both from Malaya, but as pointed out, it’s not a one step jump from Japan to Malaya and back to Japan.
I also find that 8 transports is the magic number for Japan anyway. It’s just so flexible.